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Zorn Elaborates on Surgical Lineup

Jim Zorn said four Redskins are scheduled for offseason surgery, with none of the procedures too major. Starting guard Randy Thomas's neck surgery, to alleviate a bulging disc he has been playing with for over a month, is the most significant, with defensive tackles Kedric Golston (bone spurs) and Anthony Montgomery (left knee athroscopy), as well as third-string quarterback Colt Brennan (meniscus repair in his knee).

Zorn said all are expected back in a timely fashion, and most will have their procedures within the week.

Haha, that's so funny it hurts a little. How can an NFL GM get away with lying about player's stats with no repercussions? It would be one thing if he was close...Vinny said Merling only had 7 tackles on the season when he had 17 at the time, and 2 sacks. Granted this was on Redskins Nation, the biggest propaganda producing entity since Nazi Germany.

Just like with Brandon Lloyd, David Patten, and Mark Brunell there is going to be dead cap. He should be back though. Its Jansen and Kendall that are more problematic. Particularly if the Skins take the "conservative" path of drafting OL high and frequently this draft. You could see dramatic changes along the front.

With Portis guaranteed through 2010 you are stuck with that guy. As JLC stated this is a multi-year process. You draft his replacement in the 1st round next year when you have the line in place to run behind.

It took 10 years for the Redskins to draft and put together what is a top 5 defense in the NFL. Clearly with undrafted FAs (Pierce) and sans the owner's "lame-ness" (Bailey) you would easily have one of the very, very best ... easily

They need to do better, tread carefully both in the draft and in the FA market to avoid anymore dead cap gaffs. OL seems the safest bet in the draft. Guys to add to Rhinehart. Then 2010, Linebackers and running backs. QB needs to be in the mix as well. Maybe you sign Alex Smith ... :) if you are a great QB coach like Zorn purports to be.

Look for young FAs with years left. Hayneworth is pushing it a tad. He has had injury problems. But a good pickup to go along with Montgomery, Golston, and Alexander. Then you would cut Griffin. Keeping both Taylor and Carter. Changes the chemistry a lot though? Not sure Blache would go for it?

"Lets say Thomas can't come back because of injury and has to retire, do we have to eat his cap hit all at once. I ask this because his cap hit if gone this year is huge."

So the big question goes like this: Can this be considered a lost season? By this I refer to the fact that has any progress been made to change the mediocrity of the team?

I think that 2008 will be viewed as season where we got older as a team without really having any younger replacements that are viable. We failed to establish any semblance of an offense.
We failed to institute any kind of coherent plan for success. The rebuilding of the lines that should have been started in 2008 was put off for a full season. We were probably destined to be a middling team all along, but we have achieved that without achieving any other goals. Is there more optimism heading into 2009 than there was in 2008? No. I think that that alone would be the tipping point. We are a team, like the Titans were several years ago that is burdened by huge contracts for past their prime players. There will be a period of regression until the team can be rebuilt.

Lets try and remember that there was supposedly a 3 year plan when vinny did the last draft. The fact that he "wants" 7 picks meaning he has to trade for picks. TO me that is a good sign that we are slowly learning that we need to get younger.

"Cutting players with multiple years left on their contracts is complicated by signing bonus acceleration. Releasing Thomas, for example, would cost the Redskins $3.318 million in 2009 with the remaining $3.681 million hit coming in 2010. So he's more likely to remain than his high cap number would indicate. Daniels, Jansen, Griffin, Washington and Springs would be less expensive for the Redskins to pay not to play in 2009."

"Washington's defensive line could see even more change. Griffin is a proven tackle, but at 32, he's slowing down and his $6.166 million cap number makes him vulnerable. The Redskins can match offers to restricted free agent tackles Golston and Anthony Montgomery, but they're both unsigned."

Here's why Rogers stays and Smooty goes ... unless they trade him (Rogers). Maybe package him with Smoot after renegotiation Smoots contract? But I think they definitely keep Rogers unless they prefer to sign yet another CB in the first round instead of the starting LT they so desperately need. Keep Rogers.

"If Hall re-signs, as he has said he wants to, that could cause Washington to jettison Springs, who turns 34 in March and whose $8.485 million cap number includes a $6 million base salary. Fred Smoot, expensive for a fourth corner at $4.15 million ($2.65 million base salary), could also be a target for cap relief."

We have since seen that keeping Taylor over Philip Daniels, and Andre' Carter makes an abundant amount of sense. His contract could hopefully be renegotiated favorably.

David Elfin again,

"Jason Taylor and Evans, the two players who've split the left end spot since Phillip Daniels suffered a season-ending knee injury on the first snap of training camp, might also not return. Daniels turns 36 in March and counts $2.156 million against the 2009 cap. Jason Taylor, a six-time Pro Bowl selection in Miami, has had two medical procedures and been a bust in Washington. The 34-year-old acknowledged he's not worth the money he's due in 2009 during an interview with WJFK-FM on Thursday."

F you, Zorn - I've had your back all year, but you need to be willing to put some tough talk out there sometimes, call a spade a spade, and admit what is going on. This team needs to be unmade and rebuilt from the ground up - the fan base understands the need to rebuild, even if Danny doesn't, but that is Vinny's job to make him understand that, not yours.

For your part, your play calling has flat out sucked this year... maybe it is partly due to lack of talent, maybe it is due to poor execution, but if that is the case, come up with some plays that your current players can execute! Instead, you endorse yourself - "calling plays is my strength" rather than acknowledging the need to bring in an OC to help manage things during the games so you could be more of a "head coach" (that's the job you accepted, right?).

You anoint Campbell as the QB for next season, even though he has done nothing to lock down the position other than "protect the football" (I guess we want a game manager in the Trent Dilfer "just don't loose it for us" mode at the position) - yet we have 2 other QBs on the roster who should be in open competition for the starting role.

And then the last straw, you make the idiotic statement "it will be hard to trade out of our 1st round pick at that position". Nothing like de-valuing the selection before you even get a chance to entertain offers, you moron...we desperately need to trade down from that selection, why make that process any more challenging than it already is?

I will need to see some smart and savy moves from Vinny (aka Danny) and Zorn this off-season to restore any of my faith in this organization.

"Linebacker Washington has missed six of the last 13 games and 16 of the last 32 with injuries. He turns 32 in October, and $4.5 million of his $6.52 million compensation for 2009 is base salary. The trouble is the Redskins don't have a true comer among their backup linebackers and they have traded their second- (for Taylor), fourth- (to move up this year to select tight end Fred Davis) and seventh- (for the since-cut Erasmus James) round choices in next April's draft."

They still definitely need that ever elusive starting receiver to go with Santana Moss. Even with Kelly and Thomas making it.

"Although rookie receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly have been unproductive, the Redskins could drop Antwaan Randle El, who has a $4 million base salary and a $6.119 million cap number and hasn't been a playmaker at receiver or punt returner."